Power users may be frowning after studying the benchmark results. Data transfer rates of 6 MB with access times of about 45 ms today are really nothing out of the ordinary. Modern hard drives are roughly ten times as fast in both respects, and the subjective impression of the MO drives' performance is even lower. But calm down, this isn't about top performance.

Those who cannot allow any accidents with data (regardless in what dimensions) really have only one alternative to using an MO drive: a sophisticated backup strategy that includes at least two computers (or even better, two locations) and at least two different types of media.

The DynaMO 640 Pocket, which only has a USB 1.1 interface, seems less advisable to us. The resulting performance seems unsatisfactory today, especially because the integration of a USB 2.0 interface would not be likely to make much of a difference, as far as price is concerned.

A very different summary applies to the DynaMO 640 Photo. The integrated PC card slot allows Flash card readers of all formats to be used, which affords regular use of the 640U2 Photo as a card reader in the office or at home.

In light of the attractive prices for large compact Flash cards, however, due consideration should be given to whether the purchase of a 640U2 Photo makes sense just for storing pictures. If it will be used for other things as well, then yes. Otherwise, buying several large CF cards may make more sense. Especially if you already own the necessary card reader and the corresponding PC card modules, which then can easily be used in notebooks as well.